Player of the Week | Johnny Gaudreau

Johnny Gaudreau

Jan. 8-14, 2018

2-6—8 over 4 GP

Led NHL in assists and points

Extended a 7-game point streak (started Dec. 31)

2018 is looking like the year of Johnny Gaudreau.

Since the calendar flipped over to the new year, Gaudreau has yet to skate in game he hasn’t factored onto the scoresheet. Over four games for the Calgary Flames, Gaudreau extended his personal point streak to seven games, matching his team’s consecutive games won record of the same number.

Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center, Gaudreau helped the Flames earn their fourth consecutive victory by defeating the Minnesota Wild 3-2 – a season-best at the time. As part of a three-assist night, Gaudreau tallied the helper on Dougie Hamilton’s game-winning goal 2:39 into overtime – the defenceman’s second deciding marker in as many games.

"[Hamilton's] hot, he's just hot, give him the puck, you know," Flames goaltender Mike Smith told reporters postgame. "Johnny [Gaudreau] made two good plays tonight to set up goals, and we need that from our top line, and it was nice to see Dougie get rewarded again."

Gaudreau carried a four-game point streak that included eight assists since Dec. 31 into a Thursday night matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. He added to his string of success with an assist and the game-winning goal in the 5-1 win, resulting in a nod as the game’s second star.

The slick-skating winger will also return to Tampa Bay next weekend for the All-Star Game, which will mark his fourth consecutive appearance to match the length of his young, but impressive, career.

The Flames continued along their Florida road trip in the second of a back-to-back in the state with a Friday night matchup against the Panthers. Calgary left BB&T Center with a 4-1 in front of goaltender David Rittich, who made 41 saves in his first appearance since Dec. 28. ‘Johnny Hockey’ extended this week’s point streak to six over six games with his second game-winning goal in as many games, a beauty second period marker on the power-play.

In what was the Flames’ seventh consecutive win, Gaudreau matched his team’s winning streak by extending his point-scoring run to seven straight games Sunday night in a 4-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The New Jersey-Born All-Star put up a pair of assists and registered three shots on goal and led all Flames forwards with 19:15 of ice time in what was Calgary’s final game before embarking on the team’s five-day bye week.

Safe to say, Gaudreau has earned a bit of r&r.

Gaudreau is currently tied for second in league scoring (15-39—54) so far in his 2017-18 campaign. His 39 assists place him tied for third in the category alongside Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler, while his 54 points tie him for second in overall scoring alongside Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers. With the halfway mark of the season around the corner, the 24-year-old is just nine assists away from tying a career-best posted two years ago in the 2015-16 season.

Gaudreau and the Flames will resume play this Saturday well rested and with home ice advantage against the visiting Winnipeg Jets.